Thailand โคPublic Health Update: Contagiousโ Diseases & Health Hazards – 2025
Thailand’s public health authoritiesโฃ are monitoring โa range of infectious diseases and health hazards as of โคlate 2025. This report summarizesโข keyโข findings and preventative โmeasures for โeight contagious diseases, alongside data on non-communicable health risks. A concerningโค trend across several illnesses isโข aโ higher โคincidence of severe outcomes and fatalities in individuals โฃaged 60 years and over.
Vector-Borne Diseases:
* Chikungunya Disease: in 2025,โ 1,064 cases of Chikungunya โ(characterized by fever and joint pain) โขwere reported, with no fatalities. The highest โคincidence was โobserved in the 35-44 age group.Case numbers represent a 2.4-fold increase โcomparedโ too 2024,with concentrationsโฃ in Chiang Mai,Bueng โKan,Lamphun,and Udon thani provinces.
* Sikaโค Virus Infection: 175 cases of Sika virus infection were identifiedโ in 2025, primarily affecting individuals โคaged โค25-34.Notably, there was an increase in reportedโข infectionsโ among pregnant โฃwomen. Transmitted by mosquitoes, symptoms include low-grade fever, rash,โฃ joint pain, conjunctivitis (red eyes),โ and fatigue.
* Leptospirosis (Quick Fever): โฃBetween January 1st and September 4th,2025,a cumulative total of 2,631 Leptospirosis โฃcases were recorded,resulting in 32 deaths. The highest number of cases and fatalitiesโ occurredโฃ inโฃ individualsโฃ aged 60 years or older. Individuals who โฃhave walked through mud or been exposed to floodwaters โwithin 1-2 weeks are urged to seek immediate medical attention,โ informing their โdoctor of potential exposure.
* Melioidosis (Earthworm Disease): From January 1st โฃto August 29th, 2025, 2,782โ casesโฃ of Melioidosis were reported, โขwith 130 fatalities. Similar to โleptospirosis, theโ highest incidence and mortality rates were observed โฃin the 60+ age group. Preventative measures include avoiding direct contact with soil and water, thoroughโฃ washing with soap and โคwater after โexposure, consuming fully cooked food, drinking properly packaged or boiled water, avoiding dust inhalation, and seekingโฃ immediate medical attention for persistent fever (lastingโ two days or more) following โขsoil/water contact.
Emerging &โข Re-emergingโข Infectious diseases:
*โข Birdโฃ flu โข(Avian Influenza): Globally, 27 cases of bird flu wereโค reported in 2025, resulting in 9โฃ deaths. While the risk to thailand remains low, โcontinuous monitoring is essential. โ Public health officials advise avoiding contact with abnormal or deceased poultry โor livestock, wearing protective gear (masks, gloves) when handling animals, โขand thorough handwashing afterward. Reporting of mass poultry deaths to livestock authorities is โคcrucial. Individuals โฃexperiencing flu-like โคsymptoms (fever, cough,โข breathing difficulties, conjunctivitis) should seek medical โคcare. โขTravelers โขto outbreak areas should โฃobtain travel health insurance and stay informed aboutโ local conditions. โขCountries โwith reported outbreaks as of August 2025 include Cambodia, theโ United โStates, Mexico,โค India,โ Canada,โ the United Kingdom, France,โค Germany, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Vietnam,โฃ Taiwan, and Brazil. Individuals returning from these countries โขwho developโข influenza-like symptoms within two weeks should inform โคtheir doctor โคof their travel history.
* Polio: In August 2025,โ a case ofโ circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (CVDPV1) was reported inโ savanna District, Lao PDR. โ Thaiโ health authorities โare emphasizing the importance of polio vaccination for children. Parentsโ are urged to ensure their children areโ fully vaccinated,โ and those with incomplete or delayed vaccination schedules should receive the necessary doses at public health facilities. Travelers toโฃ polio outbreak areas without a vaccination history are advised to receive a booster dose at โleastโค four weeksโ prior โto travel.
Otherโข Health Hazards:
*โฃ Electrical Accidents: In 2025, 88โข people were injured and 88 died fromโค electric shock incidents.
* Lightning Strikes: 58 people were injured and 5 people died from lightning strikes in 2025. โฃThe highest number of โขinjuries and โdeaths fromโ both electrical accidents andโค lightning strikes occurred in the 45-49โ age group.
Thisโข data is based onโ data โคavailableโข as of late 2025 โand โฃis subject to change.โ The Ministryโข of โขPublic Health continues to monitor these and other health threatsโค to protect the population of Thailand.